Fukuoka 福岡

I had been to Fukuoka only once and that was only for an evening as I waited to catch a plane the next morning. Walking around Fukuoka, it reminds me of a smaller version of Osaka. I felt at home.
福岡に行ったことがある一回だけ。その時、一泊だけです。福岡の雰囲気は大阪らしいと思います。でも、もう少し小さい市です。

Unfortunately, on a more historic cultural note, I was a bit disappointed. I guess I’ve been completely spoiled by the cultural diversity of the Kansai area – the history of Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama and various other spots within the area are many. In Kyushu, not so much. I went to a few of the more noted temples in Fukuoka but found them oddly deserted.
関西の文化史はすばらしいので僕がちょっと持っていました。関西中いろいろな所があります。京都とか奈良とか和歌山もがあります。九州中あまりないと思います。福岡の寺に行ったけど少し面白くない。

On the other end of the spectrum was Dazaifu – an ancient city just outside of Fukuoka. It was packed with Korean tourists around the main shrine. I guess with South Korea being only 200 km away from this part of Japan, Fukuoka is a popular tourist destination.
太宰府へも行きました。太宰府は違いました。巷所でした。たくさん韓国人にいました。福岡と南韓国は近いですね。人気休み所でしょう。

I love Japanese pottery, specifically the Bizenyaki that comes from Okayama prefecture. However, the Japanese have a saying regarding pottery for the tea ceremony – First, Raku, second, Hagi, third, Karatsu. Since Karatsu is so close to Fukuoka, I had to visit and of course pick up a wee tea cup to add to my collection.
日本の焼き物が好きです。備前焼きが一番好きですけど茶道人は諺があります。一楽、二萩、三唐津。そして、唐津に行きました。面白かったです。いい湯呑みを買った。

I had been toying with the idea of heading to Hiroshima and Miyajima for a day but decided not to since I had been there before and the cheapest round trip cost on the shinkansen (bullet train) would have cost me 16,000 yen (about $160 Cdn). Instead, the plan was to do the circuit from my hotel to Yanagibashi seafood market and back. Along the way, I stopped off in Sumiyoshi shrine. It just so happened that the shrine was host to a sword purification ceremony that day. Now this is why I walk when I’m in a new place – to find things by chance. Suddenly, missing out on Itsukushima shrine at Miyajima didn’t seem so bad.
福岡いる時、広島と厳島神社に行きたかったですが一番安い往復切符の値段は１６０００円です。高い！７年前、行きましたので大丈夫でした。代わりに徒歩でホテールから柳橋魚市場まで行くつもりでした。道すがら、住吉神社に止まりました。びっくりした！ 刀禊をしていました。端無くものことが大好きですよ。